Rowing-machine



'Unirse e STATES WILL'IAM'TRA'CY. A ND JACOB kH. TRACY, CF'vCAMBRIDi/in, MAssACHUsETTsg RowlNGeMACi-il'NE-:K

' ksrnerrre-A'rrorrfonti11gbariof Letters raten; 219.381,18?, datedAprnl'l, leas.

. ApplicationfledlJanuary10,188B. Serial No.`260,3-i8. (Nc model.) Y inx 7 To all 'whom timmy concern.- ,f' I' I Be it known that we, WILLIAMTRACY` and JACOB H. TRACY, of Cambridge, inthe county of Middlesex,State of Massachusetts, have in.

vented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rowing-Machines, of whichthe following 1s a description sufficiently full, clear, and eX- .f actto enable any person skilled in the art or vof this specification, inwhichscience to which said invention appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had lto the accompanying drawings, forming partFigure 1 is an isometricalperspeetive view of our improved rowingmachinerepresented in position-for use; Fig. 2, avertical longi-` tudinalsection of the same; Fig. 3, an enlarged transverse section-taken online :t m in Fig-2;

I Vand Figs.y 4, 5, and 6, enlarged views showing certain details ofconstruction.

Like letters andgures of reference indicate corresponding parts -in thedrawings.

Our invention relates more especially to thaty class of rowing-*machineswhich are designed for the use-of oarsmen in practice. and by athletesand others for exercise 5 and it consists in certain novel features, ashereinafter fully set forth and claimed, Ithe object being to produce asimpler, cheaper, and more effective device vof this character than isnow in ordinary use.

The ynature and operation of the improve-v ment will be readilyunderstood by all conversant with' such matters froml the followingy`explanation:V

vIn the drawings, A represents the body of the machine, B thecarriage,and C the seat.

The body A is composed of heavy plank or timber of suitable length andpreferably` of about the width of an ordinary rowing-shell, beingdesigned to be secured to the door of a room in any convenientposition.,Vf A centrally and horizontally arranged groove or chamber 45,is formed in the bodypA, said chamber ex 4adapted to run.

the different iiguresf Y VProjecting laterally l upon axles f,j on,which are journaled groovedy wheels h, adaptedgto run onthe tracks e.The

body a of the carriage hasy its outer edge pro-v n Vvided with anupwardly-turnedllan'ge,-rg,jt0 prevent'the'seat C, hereinafterdescribed,from accidentally slipping from'saidfbody, thejends 'of said bodybeingpointed,` as shown at .ltin Fig. 1. A,horizontallyiarranged-bar, m,issecured to the forwardend, 7cof the carriageB',I

said bar, being supported atits outer end bya standard, d, and wheels h,which'vrun on the "A horizontally-arranged stoutcoiled spring,r 'I

D, is disposed inthe chamber 45 of thebody lA, one endjofv said springbeing secured; to a hook, f, in the forward end of `said bodyandthejother endto' a similar hook, p, on fa downi wardly-projecting arm orbrackeag, which issecuredtothe bar'm on the carriage B, near'i'ts innerend. y a l ,y

A bumper,E[, provided withan elastic cushion or'face,lr, adapted toengage the standard'` l dv on the bar m and stop the carriage, issecured A tothe forward end ofthe body A.

v The seat C is of the for-m ordinarily used in I 4 -rowing-shells andknown as sliding seats,

being provided on its under side with two lon-` r gitudinally arrangedshoes, t, adapted to slidey I' y in parallel grooves w, formed in theupper side of the body z of the carriage.

A foot-piece, K, provided with toelstraps l25 .n

inthe usual manner, near its outer end. 'i A from either side of thebody z of the carriageB are three braces which form the outriggers Pofthe machine, and fitted is securedto the bar vm in the usual manner inthe outer end of 'each of saidV outriggers is arowlock, E, (see Fig. 5,)Y

which is preferably provided with a 'verticallyarranged antifrictionroll, 27. t

` Oars 30, having the1r outer ends secured to rthe door 75 of the roomby'means of balland`-"` socket joints 3l, (see Fig.y6,) are disposedinlthe rowlocks E, andprovidedai their innerends with handles 35,' in theusual manner. l

In the use of oui` improvementthe oarsman. mounts the seat C and placeshis feet against they rest K, in the ordinary positionffor rowing, theoars 30 being grasped by their ,hair

dles 35'and strokes taken inthe usual manner.: 'y The o'ars 30 beingjointed tothe door 75as` described, when a stroke is taken the carriageB will be forced backward on its tracks 'u lon the body A, the spring Dbeing gradually distended by the force exerted on the oars as thecarriage retreats, while at the same time the seat C will be caused toslide on its tracks w on the carriage B as the legs of the oarsman arestraightened in making the stroke.

, In the recover the carriage is drawn back toits original position bythe tension of the spring D, its progress being regulated by the speedwith which the oarsman releases the strain on the oars.

The elastic cushion r on the bumper His designed to break the force withwhich the carriage strikes thebu m per on its return,when the recover isso rapid that the oars offer but little resistance to the contractileaction of the spring.

The outer ends yof the oars may be pivoted or jointed to the floor byany suitable means; but We consider the ball-and-socket joint describedpreferable, as by its use the oarsman is enabled to practice featheringthe oars and to exercise in substantially the same manner as when rowingon the water.

ythe following instrunientalities, to wit a body structed, combined, andarranged to operate substantially as set forth.

2. In a rowing-machine, the body A, provided with the tracks o andchamber 4v, in combination with the carriage B, provided with the bar m,standards d, wheels h, and grooves w, the outriggers P, securedto saidcarriage, the rowlocks E, mounted in said outriggers,

the foot rest K, secured-to said bar, the seat C, provided with runnerst, adapted to slide in grooves in saidcarriage, the bumper H, secured tosaid body and provided with the cushion r, the spiral spring D,connecting said carriage and body, oars 30, mounted in said rowlocks andhaving their outer endsjointed to the floor by the ball-and-socket joint31, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM TRACY. JACOB H. TRACY.

Witnesses:

O. M. SHAW, E. M. SPINNEY.

